Dear  ,    

- Maryann Murphy, MSW

Low-Clutter Holiday Gift Ideas 

What do you get for the person who has everything?  Or the person who has too much (yes, it is possible to have too much stuff)?  Certainly not more of the same!  What if you don't see the person you're gifting very often, so you don't know what they already own?  There are lots of reasons to consider low-clutter gifts this holiday season.  They're often different than what's expected, so that alone makes them special, and they're certainly easier to wrap and ship!  Here are some suggestions:

• Charities that allow specific and interesting ways to donate a gift in your loved one's name. They get an interesting story and the feeling of participating in something special, and they don't have to find a place to put it, because the actual gift item goes to someone who really needs it!
• Oxfam America suggests you give the gift of a duck for $30, a mosquito net for $25, a pack of seeds for $12, or a pair of goats for $100 to help a family living in poverty.  They have matching cards to illustrate your gift. Go to www.oxfamgifts.com or call 800 850-7608.
• The Heifer Project offers similar choices - gift a water buffalo for $250, irrigation pumps for $150, or a flock of ducks for $20.  All go to help end hunger and poverty by equipping their clients with livestock and education to provide for themselves.  Who do you know who would love to sponsor a llama, rabbits, or pigs for a family living in poverty? Go to www.heifer.org for more details.
• Admission to a class at the local adult ed center - cooking, painting, how to use their iPad, photography, organizing, or time management (hint, hint - I'm teaching classes at Falmouth Community Schools and Upper Cape Tech Adult Ed starting in January). These gifts are even more fun if you sign up to attend with your friend or relative.
• The gift of your time and talents
• a day out together - just the two of you,
• baby-sitting services,
• help setting up a social media account for them
• a cooking lesson (complete with the resulting home-made dinner)
• a free yoga or kickboxing or weight-lifting session with you
• some time teaching or sharing whatever your special talents are.
• Consumable items - foods, toiletries, etc.  These are tangible, but low-clutter in that they do get used up rather than linger around forever. Some examples:
• Harry & David - fruits, including a Fruit of the Month collection,cheesecake, chocolates, gift baskets and cookies. 
• Fairytale Brownies - yum!!!  What could be more exciting to a chocoholic than a gift of assorted brownies and cookies? 
• Hickory Farms - (cheeses and sausages, specialty popcorns, candies, dried and fresh fruit, nuts, etc.)
• Flower arrangements - a classic choice that brings life and beauty.  1-800.flowers.com, teleflora.com, ftd.com, and more.  Some even offer live plants and trees.
• Edible Arrangements - for even-more-consumable gifts, try a bouquet made of fruit!
• Omaha Steaks - meat may seem like an unusual gift, but for the hard-to-buy-for barbecue lovers on your list, a package of steak, chops, burgers, and sausage can be the perfect present!  AND with very little left to clutter the house.
• Special events - tickets to a concert, play, or sporting event.  Try to check their schedules ahead of time.  Even better if you go with them!
• Gift certificates for a service or activity - a 3-hour organizing session, anyone?  How about a 28-day organizing success or time management success email program?  Contact me to arrange one of these packages for the people on your list who would enjoy having their very own personal organizing expert?

Recycling Corner: Reducing Holiday Waste